Drying, cleaning, and conditioning cotton



May 23, 1933.

T. H. HARRIS 1,909,951

DRYING, CLEANING, AND CONDITIONING COTTON Filed Feb. 18, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet l y 1933. T. H. HARRIS DRYING, CLEANING, AND CONDITIONING COTTON 4 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 18, 1932 y 3, 1933. T. H. HARRIS DRYING, CLEANING, AND CONDITIONING COTTON Filed Feb. 18, 1932 4Sheets-Sheet 3 WMNN J m/70s.!! 4470/:

T. H. HARRIS May 23, 1933.

DRYING, CLEANING, AND CONDITIONING COTTON 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 18, 1952 6'KJJ/6 Patented May 23, 1933' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE THOMAS H. HARRIS, O]? SCOTT, MISSISSIPPI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO DELTA & PINE LAND COMPANY OF MISSISSIPPI, OF SCOTT, MISSISSIPPI, A CORPORATION 01' mIssI'ssIPrI DRYING, CLEANING, AND CONDITIONING- COTTON Application filed February 18, 1932. Serial No. 593,713.

This invention relates to means and methods for drying, cleaning and conditioning farm products, more particularly cotton and is a" continuation in part of my pending application, Serial No. 506,527 filed January 5th,1931.

In gathering cotton it is usually dry and in condition for ginning, but it often happens that rain so wets the cotton as to prevent prompt subsequent ginning thereof, that dew in the morning dampens'or even that the cotton itself is not as fully matured as it might be, and that a certain amount of drying is advantageous. Also cotton which is moist from any of these causes usually has leaves or other forms of trash adhering thereto, which trash or leaves in the subsequent ginn'ing, damages the grade ofthe cotton.

In order to meet the varied conditions.

which are met with and to avoid the delays and/or losses which are incident to such conditions numerous attempts have been made to provide driers which will remove the moisture and much has been accomplished along this line. Little or no attempt has been made however to incorporate into a cotton ginning plant or gin as it is ordinarily known, a drying system which is an incorporated part of the whole and which will adapt the ginso that it may be used under all of the varying conditions which are met with.

The objects of the present invention are To provide a cotton gin system which will accomplish the ginning of cotton from dry to extremely wet, and which may be regulated to adapt it to the conditions met, and to generally improve the details of such a construction.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects areaccomplished and the manner of their accomplishment will readily be understood from the following specification on reference to the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a gin stand showing the system applied thereto and showing an end elevation of the preferredform of dryer used therewith, which dryer is more fully shown and described in my pending application hereinbefore referred to;

Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the same installation showing five gins in the gin stand Fig. 3 is 21 Ian View;

Fig. 4 is a ragmentary sectional elevation taken on' the line IV-IV of Figs. 2 and 5, looking in the direction of the arrow; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of the same parts taken on the line VV of Fig. 3, both the latter views being on a much larger scale thanFigs. 1 and 2.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicated by numerals,

10 are cotton gins of any usual-or desired type, and 11 is a conveyor or distributor also of usual type for distributing cotton to these gins. 12 is the usual suction pipe for unloading cotton from the wagons in which it is usually hauled from the fields, and 13 is a similar suction pipe for picking up what is known as overflow cotton and restoring same to the ginning circuit. 14 is a separator into which these suction pipes discharge, 15 is a. suction fan and 16 the usual air discharge pipe from this separator. All of these devices and parts being well known in the art of ginning cotton, and not being an inherent part of the present invention need not be described in detail.

From the separator 14 an inverted Y shaped chute 17 leads downward and disshown as directing such discharge to the dryer.

The dryer comprises a pair of drums 21, 22, preferably such as are shown in my application before referred to, which drums are horizontally disposed, one above they other and are connected by a U shaped return bend 24 is a conduit into which the chute 19 discharges, this conduit leading into the intake end of the drum 21. '25 is a conduit leading from the outlet end of the drum 22 to a fan 26 and from this fan through a conduit 27 into the chute 18. The chute 18 discharges into a separator 28 which releases the conveyways 34 which lead to the discharge flues 29.

Mounted within the screen are a pair of scrapers 35 having flexible end and side Wipers 36, 37 which rub against the screening to dislodge cotton therefrom. These scrapers are mounted on shafts 38, which are journalled in bearings 39. Mounted on these shafts are bevel gears 40, which are driven through meshing gears '41 from a common shaft 42. 1 I

Disposed below and. secured to the bottom of the screen is a cut off and dropper including a casing having arcuate side walls 43. Centrally mounted within the casing is a shaft 44, from which four equally spaced blades project radially, these blades exi being tending from end to end of the casing and being each provided with a flexible edge strip 46, which contact with the arcuate walls to form a closure and air seal. 47 is a belt pulley on the shaft 44 through which the blades may be rotated. 1

50 is an air heater, 51 steam pipes leading tosuch heater and 52am air pipe leading from the heater to the conduit 24.

It will be understood that the location of the fan 26, while preferably made as shown, might be in advance of the drying drums as shown in my application before referred to, or might even be in advance of the air heater in whichlatter case the air would be forced through the heater instead of drawn therethrough by suction. In both of these two I last mentioned cases however, cotton would be blown through the drying drum instead of drawn therethrough by vacuum as herein shown. 1 r i It will be particularly noted also .that the distributor 11 has a top 60, bottom 61 and sides 62 so that the dropper discharges into a closed structure by which the materials are enclosed until delivered to the gins.

In using the device cotton is raised in usual manner, from the wagon or other means by which it is brought to the gin, through the suction pipe 12 and is released by the separator 14 into the chute 17. Should it be in a bone dry condition the butterfly valve may be shifted'to the dotted osition 20Aof3 Fig. 4, and the cotton be dropped through the screen 31-32 and by rotation of the dropper blades 44 to the distributor 11 and thereafter to the gins in usual manner.

Should the cotton be damp or wet it is diverted through the chute 13 into a current of heated air from the heater 50 and is carried by such current of heated air through the upper drying drum 21, thence downward through the U-shaped conduit 23 and back through the return drum 22 and the conduit rated with the air current thence to the fan I where it is subjected to the beating action and thereafter to the screen and separator by which the air is removed and the cotton delivered to the distributor. Such action tends to loosen up the bolls or locks of cotton from the bolls and to straighten out the fibers as well as to remove the dirt and trash therefrom resulting in a loosening as well as a cleaning action which are effective in speeding up the ginning and improving the grade of cotton.

Preferably in its passage from the last drum to the air chute it is carried through the fan 26 which loosens up and dislodges dirt,'and breaks up dried leaves and trash so that these may be released and shaken out of the cotton when it is discharged against the screens and may thereby be removed. It

will be seen that drying action of the air' current is'carried on during passage through the fan and until ultimate release of the air through the screens. It will further be seen that final delivery to the gins is accomplished without subjecting the material to surround ing atmospheric action. Dirt and trash thus dislodged through the screen are directly blown out through the discharge flues 29.

It will be seen that the improved method of handling the cotton results directly from the particular combination and arrangement of parts herein shown, by which the cotton is handled, after it is released from the initial raising means, in a closed circuit which permits handling of cotton from bone dry to extremely wet by a manipulation of parts within the control of an-operator, and is distinctly and definitely different from those deviceswhich merely accomplish one or .more of the operations herein set out without definitely coordinating and interrelating them. 0

Having described my invention, what I conduit connectin the discharge end of the upper drum and t e intake end of the lower drum, an air heater, an intake conduit lead A 4 ing therefrom to the intake end of. said upsaid air current, said chutes, conduits and drums establishing a continuous air and cot ton passageway from said releasing means to said conveying means.

2. In a cotton inning system, employing gin stands, conveymg and distributing means, means for raising, and means for releasing cotton for delivery to said conveyor; an inverted Y shaped discharge chute disposed below said releasing means, the first branch of said chute leading to said conveyor, and means for optionally diverting cotton to either of the branches of said chute; a drier, comprising a pair of horizontally disposed drying drums positioned one above the other,-

a U-shaped conduit connecting the discharge ends of the upper drum and the intake end of the lower drum; an air heater, an intake conduit leading from said'heater to the intake end of the upper drum, the second branch of said chute discharging into said intake conduit, a conduit leading from the discharge end of said lower drum to the first branch of said chute, a fan for creating a cotton impelling air current, interposed in one of said' condults, and a separator in said first chute branch for separating cotton delivered by said air current from said current, said conduits, chutes, and drums forming a continuous passageway from said releasin means to said conveyor.

' 3. 1%1 ginning apparatus, employing a plurality of gin stands, a conveyor for distributing cotton thereto, and means for raising and delivering cottop above said conveyor, a chute'leadingiupward from said conveyor and adapted to receive cotton so delivered for discharge to said conveyor, a horizontally disposed drying drum, a similar horizontally disposed drum lying beneath said first drum, a U shaped conduit connectin the discharge end of the upper drums an the intake end of the lower drum, a discharge conduit connecting the discharge end of the lower drum to said chute; a heater, an intake, a con duit leading therefrom to the intake end of the upper of said drums, means for diverting cotton from said chute into said intake conduit, means for establishing a current of air through said heater, conduits and drums, for im lling cotton delivered to said intake conduit through said drums and into said chute, and aseparator in said chute for screening and releasing cotton from said delivering air current.

4. In a cotton ginning system employing gin stands, means for conveying and distributing cotton thereto, means for raising, and means for releasing cotton for delivery to said conveyor, cotton conditioning means comprising a pair of horizontal, rotary drums, positioned one above the other, a U shaped conduit connecting the discharge end of the upper drum and the intake end of the lower drum, an intake conduit leading to the intake and of said upper drum, a chute leading downward from said cotton release means and discharging into said intake conduit, a discharge conduit leading from the discharge end of the lower drum to said conveying means, a fan interposed in said discharge conduit for creating a cotton impelling air current, and establishing'agitation of said cotton and a screening separator in said last conduit for screening and releasing cotton from said air current, said chutes, conduits and drums establishing a continuous air and cotton passageway from said releasing means to said conveying means.

5. In a cotton ginning system, employing gm stands, conveying and distributing means, means for raising, and means for releasing cottonfor delivery to said conveyor; an inverted Y shaped discharge chute disposed below said releasing means, the first branch of said chute leading to said conveyor, and means for optionally diverting cotton to either of the branches of said chute; conditioning means vcomprising a pair of horizontally disposed rotary drums positioned one above the other, a U shaped conduit connecting the discharge end of the upper drum and the intake endof the lower drum, an intake conduit leading to the intake end of the upper drum, the second branch of said chute discharging into said intake conduit, a discharge conduit leading from the discharge end of said lower drum to the first branch of said chute, a fan for creating a cotton impelling air current, and for agitating said cotton, interposed in said discharge conduit, and a screened separator in said first chute branch for screening and separating cotton delivered by said air current from said current, said conduits, chutes, and drums forming a continuous passageway from said releasing means to said conveyor.

6'. In a cotton ginning system employing gin stands, means for conveying and distributing cotton thereto, means for raising, and means for releasing cotton for delivery to said conveyor, cotton drying means comprising a pair of substantially horizontal, rotary drums, a U shaped conduit connecting the discharge and oi? the first drum and the intake end of the second drum, an air heater, an intake conduit leading therefrom to the intake end of said first drum, a chute leading ton from said air current, said chutes, conduits and drums establishing a continuous air and cotton passageway from said releasmg means to Sald conveying means.

7. In a cotton ginning system, employing gin stands, conveying and distributing means,

means for raising, and means for releasing cotton for delivery to said conveyor; an inverted Y shaped discharge chute disposed below said releasing means, the first branch of said chute leading to said conveyor, and

means for optionally diverting cotton to either'of the branches of said chute; a drier, comprising a pair of substantially horizontal drying drums, at U shaped conduit connecting the dischargeends of the first drum and the intake end of the second drum; an air heater," an intake conduit leading from .said heater to the intake end of the first drum, the second branch of said chute discharging-into said intake conduit, a conduit leading from the discharge end of said second drum to the first branch of said chute, a fan for creating a cotton impelling air current, interposed in one of said. conduits, and a separator in said first chute branch for separating cotton delivered by said air current from said current, said conduits, chutes, and drums formmg a continuous passageway from said releasing means to said conveyor.

8. In a ginning apparatus, employing a.

plurality of gin stands, a conveyor for distributing cotton thereto, and means for raising and delivering cotton above said conveyor, a chute leading upward from said conveyor and adapted to receive cotton so delivered for discharge to saidconveyor, a substantially horizontal drying drum, a second substantially horizontal drum lying adjacent said first drum, a U shaped conduit connecting the discharge end of the first drum and the intake end of the second drum, a discharge conduit connecting the discharge end of the second drum to said chute; a heater, an intake, a conduit leading therefrom to the intake end of the first of said drums, means for diverting cotton from said chute into said intake conduit, means for establishing a current of air through said heater, conduits and drums, for impelling cotton delivered to said intake conduit through said drums and into said chute, and a separator in said chute for screening and releasing cotton from said delivering air current.

9. In a cotton ginning system employing gin stands, means for conveying and distributing cotton thereto, means for raising, and

means for releasing cotton for delivery to said conveyor, cotton conditioning means comprising a pair of substantially horizontal, rotary drums, a U shaped conduit connecting the discharge end of the first drum and the intake end of the second drum, an intake conduit leading to the intake end of said first drum, a chute leading downward from said cotton release means and discharging into said intake conduit, a discharge conduit leading from the discharge end of the second drum to said conveying means, a fan interposed in said discharge conduit for creating a cotton impelling air current and establisheither of the branches of said chute; conditioning means comprising a pair of horizontally disposed rotary drums, a U shaped con duit connecting the discharge end of the first drum and the intake end of the second drum, an intake conduit leading to the intake end of the second drum, an intake conduit leading to the intake end of the first drum, the second branch of said chute discharging into said intake conduit, a discharge conduit leading from the discharge end of said second drum to the first branch of said chute, a fan for creating a cotton impelling air current, and for agitating said cotton, interposed in said discharge conduit, and a screened separator in said first chute branch for screening and separating cotton delivered by said air current from said current, said conduits,

and drums forming a continuous passageway from said releasing means to said conveyor.

signatnre.

THOMAS H, HARRIS. 

